Open DMs during sync catch-up instead of blocking on parent maps.

Prefer the direct route for m.direct rooms and allow joined space children before roomToParents finishes backfilling.

src/app/hooks/useRoomNavigate.ts

@@ -56,6 +56,19 @@ export const useRoomNavigate = () => {
       }
 
       const orphanParents = openSpaceTimeline ? [roomId] : getOrphanParents(roomToParents, roomId);
+
+      // Prefer Direct for m.direct rooms unless we are already browsing a parent space
+      // of this room (keep space chrome). Opening via space while roomToParents is still
+      // catching up used to hit JoinBeforeNavigate even though the DM was listed.
+      if (mDirects.has(roomId)) {
+        const stayInSelectedSpace =
+          Boolean(spaceSelectedId) && orphanParents.includes(spaceSelectedId!);
+        if (!stayInSelectedSpace) {
+          navigate(getDirectRoomPath(roomIdOrAlias, eventId), opts);
+          return;
+        }
+      }
+
       if (orphanParents.length > 0) {
         let parentSpace: string;
         if (spaceSelectedId && orphanParents.includes(spaceSelectedId)) {
@@ -73,11 +86,6 @@ export const useRoomNavigate = () => {
         return;
       }
 
-      if (mDirects.has(roomId)) {
-        navigate(getDirectRoomPath(roomIdOrAlias, eventId), opts);
-        return;
-      }
-
       navigate(getHomeRoomPath(roomIdOrAlias, eventId), opts);
     },
     [

src/app/pages/client/direct/RoomProvider.tsx

@@ -1,15 +1,19 @@
 import React, { ReactNode } from 'react';
 import { useParams } from 'react-router-dom';
+import { useAtomValue } from 'jotai';
 import { decodeRouteParam } from '../../pathUtils';
 import { useSelectedRoom } from '../../../hooks/router/useSelectedRoom';
 import { IsDirectRoomProvider, RoomProvider } from '../../../hooks/useRoom';
 import { useMatrixClient } from '../../../hooks/useMatrixClient';
 import { JoinBeforeNavigate } from '../../../features/join-before-navigate';
 import { useDirectRooms } from './useDirectRooms';
+import { mDirectAtom } from '../../../state/mDirectList';
+import { Membership } from '../../../../types/matrix/room';
 
 export function DirectRouteRoomProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
   const mx = useMatrixClient();
   const rooms = useDirectRooms();
+  const mDirects = useAtomValue(mDirectAtom);
 
   const { roomIdOrAlias: rawRoomIdOrAlias, eventId: rawEventId } = useParams();
   const roomIdOrAlias = decodeRouteParam(rawRoomIdOrAlias);
@@ -17,7 +21,13 @@ export function DirectRouteRoomProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
   const roomId = useSelectedRoom();
   const room = mx.getRoom(roomId);
 
-  if (!room || !rooms.includes(room.roomId)) {
+  // useDirectRooms can lag m.direct / allRooms during catch-up; allow joined m.direct rooms.
+  const isJoinedDirect =
+    Boolean(room) &&
+    room!.getMyMembership() === Membership.Join &&
+    (rooms.includes(room!.roomId) || mDirects.has(room!.roomId));
+
+  if (!room || !isJoinedDirect) {
     return (
       <JoinBeforeNavigate
         roomIdOrAlias={roomIdOrAlias ?? rawRoomIdOrAlias!}

src/app/pages/client/space/RoomProvider.tsx

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React, { ReactNode } from 'react';
+import React, { ReactNode, useEffect } from 'react';
 import { useParams } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { useAtom, useAtomValue } from 'jotai';
 import { decodeRouteParam } from '../../pathUtils';
@@ -30,7 +30,31 @@ export function SpaceRouteRoomProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
   const roomId = useSelectedRoom();
   const room = mx.getRoom(roomId);
 
-  if (!room || !allRooms.includes(room.roomId)) {
+  const isJoined = Boolean(room && allRooms.includes(room.roomId));
+  const isSpaceChild = Boolean(room && getSpaceChildren(space).includes(room.roomId));
+  const hasParentMapping = Boolean(
+    room && getAllParents(roomToParents, room.roomId).has(space.roomId)
+  );
+
+  // roomToParents can lag behind live space state during catch-up sync.
+  // If the room is clearly a child of this space, backfill the map and open it.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!room || !isJoined || hasParentMapping || !isSpaceChild) return;
+    setRoomToParents({
+      type: 'PUT',
+      parent: space.roomId,
+      children: [room.roomId],
+    });
+  }, [
+    room,
+    isJoined,
+    hasParentMapping,
+    isSpaceChild,
+    space.roomId,
+    setRoomToParents,
+  ]);
+
+  if (!room || !isJoined) {
     // room is not joined
     return (
       <JoinBeforeNavigate
@@ -50,16 +74,7 @@ export function SpaceRouteRoomProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
     );
   }
 
-  if (!getAllParents(roomToParents, room.roomId).has(space.roomId)) {
-    if (getSpaceChildren(space).includes(room.roomId)) {
-      // fill missing roomToParent mapping
-      setRoomToParents({
-        type: 'PUT',
-        parent: space.roomId,
-        children: [room.roomId],
-      });
-    }
-
+  if (!hasParentMapping && !isSpaceChild) {
     return (
       <JoinBeforeNavigate
         roomIdOrAlias={roomIdOrAlias ?? rawRoomIdOrAlias!}

src/app/state/room/roomToParents.ts

@@ -103,6 +103,23 @@ export const useBindRoomToParentsAtom = (
             setRoomToParents({ type: 'DELETE', roomId: childId });
           }
         }
+        return;
+      }
+
+      // Create type can arrive after the room is already in the store. Without this,
+      // spaces are skipped on INITIALIZE (isSpace false) and children stay unmapped
+      // until an unrelated SpaceChild event fires — DMs/channels look listed but
+      // SpaceRouteRoomProvider blocks on missing roomToParents.
+      if (mEvent.getType() === StateEvent.RoomCreate) {
+        const roomId = mEvent.getRoomId();
+        const room = roomId ? mx.getRoom(roomId) : null;
+        if (room && isSpace(room) && room.getMyMembership() !== Membership.Invite) {
+          setRoomToParents({
+            type: 'PUT',
+            parent: room.roomId,
+            children: getSpaceChildren(room),
+          });
+        }
       }
     };
 

src/index.css

@@ -887,6 +887,12 @@ body.stationery-dark-theme {
   width: calc(100% + 25px) !important;
   max-width: none !important;
   box-sizing: border-box !important;
+  /* Gutter is only for post-it overflow paint — do not steal clicks from page-nav */
+  pointer-events: none;
+}
+
+.stationery [data-sidebar-scroll] > * {
+  pointer-events: auto;
 }
 
 .stationery [data-sidebar] > *,